The present invention relates to a snow skiing apparatus, and more particularly, to a snowbike or snowscooter, which permits a skier to stand or sit thereon while skiing.
In recent years, snowbikes, also known as skibikes and skibobs, as well as snowscooters, have begun gaining resort acceptance and rental-shop placement at several North American ski resorts. Variations of snowbikes and snowscooters have been marketed for over fifty years worldwide. Nevertheless, these products currently comprise a very small portion of the winter sports market. One reason that these products have remained in relative obscurity, especially in the US market, is that no current snowbike or snowscooter manufacturer has been able to develop and market a product with the potential to perform at a level equal to that exhibited by motocross, BMX (bicycle motocross), freeskiing and/or snowboarding. Moreover, existing snowbikes, with their thin width ski designs, require riders to wear little foot-skis and use them as outriggers for balance and control. The resulting products may be easily maneuverable on groomed terrain, but are limited when it comes to performing any freestyle tricks, jumps, or use on more varied terrain. Furthermore, the designs of these products make them difficult to be transported to the top of a ski slope for use. In particular, the seats provided on the snowbikes can make the snowbikes difficult to load and unload from, for instance, a chairlift, a gondola or a tram.
Currently, there are several companies marketing snowbikes, snowscooters, or snow cycles. An example of such a device includes the Brentner Original Snowbike (see FIG. 1A). The design of this snowbike requires the use of footskis (i.e., small skis) worn by the rider for steering and stability. Such a design is primarily responsible for the xe2x80x9ctraining wheelsxe2x80x9d look and performance of the product, can limit the performance potential, especially for tricks.
Another snow skiing device is the K2 Snowcycle (see FIG. 1B). The K2 Snowcycle is lightweight, and uses shaped ski technology and mountain bike style suspension. Nevertheless, it is still based on a traditional design using mini footskis for additional support and steering.
In addition to the above, there is currently available the Insane Toys Snowscoot (see FIG. 1C). The Insane Toys Snowscoot is based on a BMX frame without a seat, and is mounted onto two snowboard-style runners. This product is heavy and can be too sluggish and cumbersome.
Other commercially available products include the Koski Snowsports Monotrac (see FIG. 1D), which incorporates the use of footskis, and uses shaped ski technology; the Vertex Skibob (see FIG. 1E), which has a similar design to the Brentner Snowbike; Arete Outdoors Rush scooter, which can be ridden like a downhill mountain bike in the summer and then fitted with snowboards in the winter; and Snowcrossbike, a Scandanavian company with a fairly low-tech and toy-like product wherein plastic skis are bolted on to a bike frame. Winter X Bike, another company which offers a conversion system, has a design to convert a street bike into a snowbike for the winter. While the conversion appears relatively simple, the design can be problematic. In particular, the dimensions and geometry of a street bike are not well suited to riding on snow. Beyond these companies, the market includes other smaller, garage-shop operations.
The Burton Snowdeck (see FIG. 1F) provides a snow-skateboard design wherein a skateboard-type platform is employed over a ski. This design requires the rider to stand sideways on the platform to get sufficient leverage, like a skateboard, and provides no handle or seat for use by the rider. This device, without a handle, seat or bindings, may make it difficult to load on and off a chairlift or a surface lift, such as a T-bar. Moreover, at present, snowdecks are not allowed on lifts at most ski resorts.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a product which is easy to ride, maneuverable and stable over a wide variety of terrains, suitable for performing tricks and stunts, and easy to transport up and down ski slopes.
The present invention provides a snow skiing device that is designed for high performance and to be handled with relative ease. The device can be sufficiently compact for bringing onto and getting off of ski lifts, and takes up no more room than a skier or snowboarder. The device requires no special adjustments to the lift equipment or procedures, and can be used on surface lifts like T-bars. In addition, a collapsible design allows the device to be easily carried onto a crowded gondola or tram for transport.
In one embodiment, a skiing device is provided having a frame with a front end and a rear end. The device also includes a first ski positioned at the front end of the frame. The first ski, in one embodiment, can be attached to a steering mechanism positioned at the front end of the frame, and is capable of being directed for maneuvering the device. The device further includes a second ski positioned at the rear end of the ski, such that the second ski is in substantial linear alignment with the first ski. A platform may be provided above the first and second skis, so that it extends from the front end to the rear end of the frame. The platform, in an embodiment, includes a width sufficiently wider relative to that of the first and second skis to permit a user to stand thereon. The device may also include a suspension system between the first ski and the steering mechanism, an another suspension system between the second ski and the platform. The frame may be made to be collapsible to provide a compact configuration for transport.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a vehicle having a frame with a front end and a rear end. The vehicle may also include a handle coupled to the front end of the frame onto which a user may hold. The vehicle may further include a ski system attached to the frame and extending from the front end to the rear end of the frame. The ski system may include one continuous ski from the front end to the rear end of the frame, or two skis, with one at the front end of the frame and the other one at the rear end of the frame. A platform is provided above the first and second skis, so that it extends from the front end to the rear end of the frame. The platform, in an embodiment, includes a width sufficiently wider relative to that of the first and second skis to permit a user to stand thereon. The device may also include a suspension system between the first ski and the steering mechanism, an another suspension system between the second ski and the platform. The frame may be made to be collapsible to provide a compact configuration for transport.